Saugus police dog Beny remembered for service, kindness

Thursday

Apr 3, 2014 at 8:00 AM

By Martha Shanahanmshanahan@wickedlocal.com

Saugus police are mourning one of their own a week after the death of retired police dog Beny, a German shepherd that served almost nine years with the department.Police officerTim Fawcett — the K-9 officer assigned to work with Beny in their first years with department — said the dog was an important part of his life both as a pet and as a colleague."He just had that special something," Fawcett said. "He was such a kind animal, not just in my house but everywhere else.""He’s going to be sorely missed," Fawcett added.Beny joined the department in 2001, when he was less than 2 years old. The town bought him from a North Reading breeder that imported dogs from Czechoslovakia and trained them to be used in police work.That was the same year Fawcett joined the department and he and Beny took K-9 training courses with the Boston Police Department. The two new officers hit it off right away."I knew the minute I picked him — I knew he had a giant heart," Fawcett said.Beny transitioned easily into the Fawcett household, and was soon joined by Tim and Debbie Fawcett’s son Tyler, born three years later."He was very good with children," Debbie Fawcett said. "They’ve been best buddies ever since."Fawcett family members called Beny a "gentle giant.""He knew when it was time to work and he knew when it was time to stay home," Debbie Fawcett said. "He was a great family pet."Beny proved valuable to the department as well. He and Officer Fawcett sniffed out drugs, scouted crime scenes and broke up fights. The two went to senior centers and kindergartens, making friends wherever they went.After Beny retired from the force in 2012, the Fawcett house got a little more crowded — he was replaced on the force by a new German shepherd, Bruin, who joined the Fawcetts — and a third dog — in the house.The transition wasn’t easy at the beginning."At first Beny didn’t understand, because my husband had the new partner," Debbie Fawcett said. "It was a bit heartbreaking at first, because he would stand at the head of stairs when they were leaving."Beny settled into his new role eventually, and became an even closer member of the family."He did calm down," Debbie Fawcett said. "He really became more close to us after he retired — but he still was the alpha male, in no uncertain terms."Beny died at the age of 14 ˝ years old at the North Shore Animal Hospital."He lived a great life," Tim Fawcett said. "He was the greatest dog and it was an honor to have him."Last week, when Fawcett told the officer who had assigned Beny to him that the dog had died, the officer had the perfect response."His reply was, ‘you were meant to be together,’" Fawcett said.